CRIN crisis: Unions begin indefinite strike

THE leadership of the Joint Research and Allied Institutions, the Academic Staff Union of Research Institutions (ASURI), Senior Staff Association of Universities, Teaching Hospitals, Research Institutes and Associated Institutions (SSAUTHRIAI) and Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) have ordered its members to stay away from work until further notice.

The resolve was declared by the General Secretary of SSAUTHRIAI, Mr Moshood Akinade, while addressing a press conference at the NASU headquarters, Agbowo area, Ibadan, on Tuesday.

Akinade also revealed that the crisis was a fallout of the agitations of the workers dated back to July 26,  over a number of grievances against the management of the institute.

The union had earlier written a petition a letter to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim over the matter.
Meanwhile, it snowballed into a full blown crisis during the official visit of the Chairman of the Governing Board of CRIN, Chief Francis Fadaunsi, on October 22, when some workers of the institute were alleged to have been maltreated.

However, the six demands, according to Akinade, included alleged incompetence of the executive director of CRIN, Professor Malachi Akoroda, who, according to the unions , “lacks managerial and inter-personal skills,”; the distruption of research in CRIN by appointing the most junior director as the Director Research; release of a meagre sum of N7.5 million for research out of N154 million released to CRIN in 2012; introduction of balloting for programme, contrary to what is obtainable; sacking of 248 daily rated workers who were from the community and planned transfer of genetic materials to International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) and University of Ibadan, among others.”

The crisis thus reached a crescendo when the unions, which had alleged that the chairman dissolved internal management committtee, suspended directors with immediate effect, stoppage of salary of staff on the false allegation that they had not been working since July 6, 2013 and proscription of the three unions.

Akinade said in the event of their members being attacked, the unions considered that their lives and their families were in danger, “and cannot be guaranteed even with the presence of law enforcement agents. In the circumstances and until there is abundant evidence that concrete steps are taken to guarantee safety of lives and property of our members, the neutrality of the chairman of CRIN governing board in the area of the intimidation and coercion of the beseeched workers; it is doubtful if the leadership of both the Executive Director, Professor Malachi Akoroda and that of the new board chairman, Chief Francis Fadaunsi, can be sustained. In the meantime, all members of the three unions are directed to stay away from work until further notice.

 -Tribune

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